a) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a blind slat having a corrugated surface. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a corrugated vertical blind slat in which preselected slanted surfaces forming the corrugations have a specific color which is different from the remaining slanted surfaces, thereby enabling to produce special visual effects, especially upon rotation of the vertical blind slat. The invention additionally relates to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing the above-mentioned blind slat.
b) Description of Prior Art
Vertical and horizontal blind slats have been known for a long time. Today, they are normally produced by extrusion through a die in a large variety of choice. There is the standard flat slat whose color depends on the color of the plastic material which is used for its manufacture. Also, there are blind slats in which the outer surfaces are formed of a wide variety of patterns which are obtained by extrusion, molding, coating or otherwise.
In the field of decoration, it is known that color effects are very important. On the other hand, since vertical and horizontal blinds are used etensively for commercial and residential decoration, there is a need for blinds which offer not only a choice of patterns but also enable to blend in a color scheme or produce special effects through the use of colors. To our knowledge, there is no blind slat which permits to achieve the above goal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,834 discloses a Venetian blind in which the slats have a selected color on one face and a different color on the reverse face. U.S. Pat. No. 4,128,386 discloses a process for extruding patterned sheets or panels of differently colored thermoplastic synthetic resin which enables to achieve a uniform distribution of the individual colored compositions. Japanese 87-337189/48 describes the coextrusion of two resins to obtain a laminated sheet of superior decorative effect. Japanese 87-345090/49 discloses the coextrusion of two materials of different colors to produce a filmy material with special effect. Japanese 57-105704 describes the production of homogeneous products having various optical properties depending upon direction.
However, as far as we know, the art is silent with respect to blind slats which permit special effects through the use of color.